Random Height Generator

How the random height generator picks a height

In feet and inches, the tool does not pick a random feet value and a random inches value separately. It converts your shortest and tallest heights into total inches, picks one whole number in that range, then converts it back to feet and inches.

That keeps every inch equally likely, a discrete uniform distribution. With the default range of 4'0" to 6'11" there are 36 possible heights, each with a chance of 1 in 36 (2.8%). Each pick is an unbiased draw from the browser's cryptographic random generator, as described in how our randomness works.

Picking the feet first would skew some ranges. Take 5'6" to 6'1": in total inches that is 8 heights, 1 in 8 each. A tool that first chose 5 or 6 feet with equal chances would give 6'0" and 6'1" a chance of 1 in 4 each, and each of 5'6" to 5'11" only 1 in 12.

How to convert total inches to feet and inches: a worked example

With the default range, minimum 4'0" and maximum 6'11", the tool first computes the range in inches:

minTotalInches = 4×12 + 0 = 48
maxTotalInches = 6×12 + 11 = 83

It then draws a whole number from 48 to 83, both included. Suppose that draw returns 70. Converting back:

feet = ⌊70 ÷ 12⌋ = 5
inches = 70 mod 12 = 10
result = 5'10"

Random height in centimeters

Metric mode is simpler: it draws a whole number between your minimum and maximum in centimeters, with no conversion. The default range of 120 to 210 cm holds 91 heights, each with a chance of 1 in 91 (1.1%). A draw might return 167 cm.

The results are whole centimeters or whole inches. For a number in any other range, use the random number generator.

Where a random height generator is used

It fills in placeholder character data for games and stories, and test data for a form that expects a height. For whole rows of fake records, the test data generator covers names, emails, addresses and dates; for a story to put a character in, try the random plot generator.

Every height in the range is equally likely, which is not how heights are spread in a real population. The tool makes no statistical claim about people.